Title: Variable Expressions in Algebra

Brief Overview:
Algebra could never exist without the concept of variables. Variables and algebra
are synonymous. The concept of variable expression, therefore, is the rudiments of
algebra, that is, it is the fundamental of algebra.
These lessons are the first three lessons when introducing algebra. When students
know that variables can be used to represent quantities, then their understanding of the
concepts of algebra begins.
By the end of these three lessons the students should have a fundamental
perception of what algebra is all about. The student will also be able to perform some of
the arithmetic operations in algebra.
NCTM Content Standard/National Science Education Standard:

NCTM standard 1.8.2 - simplify expression by combining like terms and applying
order of operations.
Use mathematical properties to justify the steps in simplifying algebraic
expressions.

Grade/Level:
Grade 7
Duration/Length:
Three lessons - 60 minutes each.
Student Outcomes:
Students will:

Identify algebraic expressions.

Distinguish a coefficient from a constant.
Identify variables.
List terms in an algebraic expression.
Identify like terms.
Simplify expressions by combining like terms.
Simplify variable expressions by using the multiplicative and distributive
properties.

Materials and Resources:

Pencil and Paper

Development/Procedures:
Lesson 1
Preassessment Students should be able to effectively solve problems using the four
basic operations of mathematics.
24 + 38 = ?

Answer = 62

42 + 38 + 57 = ?

Answer = 137

32 + 78 29 = ?

Answer = 81

43 58 + 17 = ?
2 + 21 3 x 5 = ?

Answer = 2
Answer = 37

2 + 21 3 2 x 4

Answer = 1

72 (3 + 5) + 5

Answer = 14

Launch
Terri has 3 boxes of apples 2 boxes of bananas and 4 boxes of cups. Is it
appropriate to ask how many total items Terri has? (This is a discussion question leading
to the concept that you cant mix apples with bananas or cups.)
Joan has a box of apples and some apples outside the box. Is it appropriate to
ask how many apples in total that Joan has? This is again a discussion question leading
to the concept that you can add an unknown number of apples to a known number of
apples. Thus leading to the correct question: What is the total number of apples that
Joan has?
Is it possible to add 8 pencils to 7 books?
Teacher Facilitation Terri was unable to add apples to bananas or even to cups. Apples,
bananas and cups are three different terms. Suppose we use a for number of
apples, b for number of bananas and c for number of cups. a, b, and c are
called variables. Variables are symbols or letters that can be used to represent
numbers.
We can now represent what Terri has as 3a + 2b + 4c. In the expression
3a + 2b + 4c, each addend is know as a term. 3a + 2b + 4c has 3 terms. 3a, 2b,
and 4c are each known as terms. Suppose Terri has 5 dollars in her pocket. She
decides to write all the things she has as 3a + 2b + 4c + 5. This has four terms
a, b, c are variables
3, 2, 4 are coefficients

5 is a constant. Constants do not have variables attached to them while

coefficients do.
3a is an algebraic expression
4c + 5 is an algebraic expression
3a + 2b + 4c + 5 is an algebraic expression
An algebraic expression is an expression that contains at least one term.
Other algebraic expression can be in the form of 3a 2; 7xy 5; 8yz - 2y; etc.
Joan has a box of apples and some single apples. How can you add these
two? We dont know how many apples we have in the box. If we represent a
single apple as a, we cannot represent a box of apples with a because a box of
apples has more than one apple in it. We may then represent what Joan has as A
+ a where A represents a box of apples and a a single apple.
How can you write the third statement as an algebraic expression?
Answer =A + a
How many terms does it have? Answer = 2
What are the terms? Answer=A, a
Which are the variables? Answer= A, a
Write down the coefficients.Answer=1, 1
What is the constant?Answer= 0
Student Application
1. What are the terms of
a. 3a + 5b 7c Answer=3a, 5b, -7c
b. 8x 10y 20z 1 Answer= 8x, -10y, -20z, -1
c. 10r 28q + 5 Answer=10r, -28q, 5
2. Write the coefficients in Question 1 above.
a. Answer=3,, 5, -7
b. Answer=8, -10, 20
c. Answer=10, -28
3. Write the constants in Question 1 above.
a. Answer=0
b. Answer=1
c. Answer=5
Embedded Assessment : Students correctly identify algebraic terms.

Re-teaching/Extension
For students who have not fully understood the concept, reinforce by re-teaching with
easier questions.
1. Name the coefficients of the variable terms.
a. 5x + 3 Answer=5
b. 3xy Answer=3
c. 3n Answer=3
d. 8x 3y Answer= 8, -3

2. Name the constant term in Question 1 above.

a. Answer=3
b. Answer=0
c. Answer=0
d. Answer=0
3. How many terms are in each of these variable expressions in Question 1 above?
a. Answer=2
b. Answer=1
c. Answer=2
d. Answer=2
For students who have understood the concept, I will give them harder problems.
1. Name the coefficients of the variable terms.
a. 3x2 + 5x + 3
Answer=3, 5
b. 6x2y + 3xy2 + 8 Answer=6,3
2. Name the constant term in these variable expressions.
a. 2n2 3n + 7
Answer=7
2
b. 3x + 4x 6
Answer=-6
c. x2 8x + 3
Answer= 3
3. How many terms are in each of these variable expressions?
a. 4x2 - 2y + 3xy + x 8
Answer=5
b. 6a2 4ab b2
Answer=3
2
2
c. y 4y y + 9
Answer=4
d. 8 a3
Answer=2
4. Name the variable terms of the expression.
a. 5xy2 + 3xy2 + 5
Answer= 5xy2, 3xy2
3
2
b. p 4p p + 9
Answer= p3, -4p2, -p
c. 5 5q + 2q2
Answer= 5q, 2q2
.
Lesson 2
Preassessment
Students should be able to identify algebraic expressions. They should be able to
distinguish a coefficient from a constant, as well as identify a variable. They should
equally be able to evaluate variable expressions.
The following class exercises are given to ascertain the students understanding of the
concept taught.
1. John traveled to a supermarket in Riverdale and bought 5 cartons of soda. He
went to another supermarket in Hyattsville and bought 4 cartons of soda. How

many cans of soda did he buy altogether? Answer= 9 c. Let c = number of

cans in each carton. 5c+4c=9c.
2. On getting home, he gave 2 cartons to an important guest as a gift. How many
cans does he have left? Answer= 7 c
3. Janet has 5 boxes of doughnuts, 7 boxes of pencils, and 2 packets of rulers.
a. What is the total sum of all the items? Answer= 5d + 7p + 2r
b. How many variables are there? Answer= 3
c. Give the coefficient of each variable. Answer= 5, 7, 2
d. What is the constant of this algebraic expression. Answer=0
Launch
Keri bought 8 boxes of doughnuts from shop A and 3 boxes of doughnuts from shop B.
How many doughnuts did she buy all together? Answer=11d. Remember d=number
of doughnuts in each box.
Can you solve this problem? Yes. What is the answer?
Keri gave 2 boxes of her doughnuts to her favorite teacher, how many doughnuts does
she have then? Answer= 9 d
The teacher has 2 boxes of doughnuts and 2 boxes of cups of coffee. What is the sum of
what he has?
Answer=2d +2c
Teacher Facilitation
We are able to get the solution to the first question is 11 d.
You can decide to use d to represent doughnuts.
Then 8d + 3d = (8 + 3)d = 11d
Similarly, the second question can be expressed as 11d 2d = (11-2)d =9d
But the third question which can be written in short as 2d + 2c is difficult to write as one
term. This is because the two items are different.
When we have an algebraic expression, we can easily perform any of the four basic
operations on terms that are alike.
For example: evaluate 2x + 3y x + y
First bring together the terms that are alike.
= 2x x + 3y + y
= x + 4y
Another example, evaluate 4xy2 + 3x + 5xy2 + 5x
Bring the like terms together.
= 3x + 5x + 4xy2 + 5xy2
= 8x + 9xy2
Here we have simplified our expressions. To simply in this case is to collect like terms.
Algebraic expressions can also be evaluated by substituting the variables with positive or
negative numbers.

For example: Evaluate the variable expression when a = 3, b = 2, and c = 1.

i.

4a + 3b
(4 x 3) + (3 x 2)
= 12 + 6
=18

ii

-4c + 4
(-4 x 1) + 4
-4 + 4
0

3a (c + a)3
(3 x 3) - (2 + 3)3
(3 x 3) (5)3
(3x3) (5 x 5 x 5)
9 125
-116
Student Application
1. Simplify 4x 3y + 2x + 10y Answer = 6x + 7y
2. 7x2 + 3y2 + 4x2 y2 Answer = 11x2 + 2y2
3. Evaluate 4a + 5b where a = 3, b = -2 Answer = 2
4. Evaluate the expression 3a (a +b)2 where a =2, b =3 Answer = -19
5. Evaluate c 2a where a =2, c =3, d= 4 Answer = -1/14
ac2 -d
Embedded assessment: Students
simplify algebraic expressions correctly.
Re-teaching/Extension
If the students do not understand the concept, I will offer them the following simpler
exercises.
iii

1. Evaluate the variable expressions when a = 3, b = 4, c = -2

i.
b 4a Answer= -8
ii.
c2 a2 Answer= -5
iii.
a2 c Answer = -11/24
abc
iv.
b-a Answer = -1/2
c
v.
b3 3ab + c Answer = 26
For the students who understand the concept, ask them to make up their own problems
and have them give these to their classmates to solve.

Lesson 3

Preassessment Evaluate (i) 5x 3y z where x=2, y=3, z=1

Answer 0
(ii) 5x- (3y-z) Answer =2
2. Simplify (i) 3x 5x2 + 2x + x2 Answer 5x-4x2
(ii) 17 (2a+5) + 4a Answer= 12+2a
Launch : (a). Angie has 2 pencils, Betty has double what Angie
has, how many pencils does Betty have? Answer 4 pencils
(b) Chris has three times as many pencils as Betty. How many
pencils does Chris have? Answer 12 pencils
(c) Duane has twice as many pencils as Angie and Betty. How
many pencils does Duane have? Answer 12 pencils
Teacher Facilitation:
(a) Angie has 2 pencils. Betty has 2x2 pencils = (2x2)pencils
= 4 pencils
(b) Chris has 3 times as many pencils as Betty = (3x4) pencils
= 12 pencils
or ( 3x2x2) pencils
= (3x2) x2 pencils
= 6x2 pencils
= 12 pencils
(c) Duane has 2 (2+4) pencils
= 2(6) pencils
= 12 pencils
or 2(2+4) = (2x2) + (2x4) pencils
= 4+8 pencils
= 12 pencils
Note: In Chriss case he has (3x4) pencils
= (4x3) pencils
= 12 pencils
This is the order property which otherwise is known as the
communicative property.
Chriss problem could also be solved as (3x2)x2 or 3(2x2)
6x2
or
3x4
12
or
12
(3x2)x2= 3(2x2) this is the group property which otherwise is
known as the associative property. The number and the
operations are kept in exactly the same order. The only change
is the grouping, that is, the way that the parentheses are
inserted.
Duanes case is a bit different. He has 2(2+4) = (2x2) + (2x4)
2x6
or
4+8
12
or
12

This is the Distributive Law of Multiplication over Addition.

Simplify:
1.
3(2x + 3y)
3(2x) + 3(3y)
6x + 9y
2. 3(2x + 3y) + x
3(2x) + 3(3y) + x
6x + 9y +x
6x +x +9y
7x +9y
3. 5(a +2b) 3(b-a)
5a +10b 3b +3a
5a+3a+10b-3b
8a+7b
4. 7p-2(p2-2p)+3p2
7p-2p2+4p+3p2
7p+4p+3p2-2p2
11p + p2
Student Application:
1. Name the following properties being used:
a. 3x+4y=4y+3x Answer communicative
b. 3x+(4y+5z)+(3x+4y)+5z Answer Associative
c. 3(x+y)=3x+3y Answer distributive
2. Simplify:
a. 7( x 2 y ) + 8(2 x + y ) Answer =23x+6y
b. 3 x 5 z 3( x 5 z ) Answer = 10z
c. 10( p 2 q) + 10( p 2 + q 2 ) Answer=
20 p 2 10q + 10q 2
Embedded Assessment : The embedded assessment is the students
solving the problems and correctly identifying the
properties being used..
Re-teaching/Extension: The students will make up their own
quizzes based on the properties learned for the teacher to
solve.

Summative Assessment:
Take home quiz,
1. Write three questions about your friends to demonstrate clearly your understanding of
the commutative property.
2. Look around your room, using items in your room, write three questions that require
the use of the associative property.
3. Pretend you are shopping with your mother. Make up three questions based on the
items you bought. Use your knowledge of the distributive property to calculate the
amount of money mom spent.
*** Use variables to denote your items.

Author:
O. D. Udeme
The Bridges Academy
Washington, D.C.